Four young men are recovering from serious injuries after their car smashed into a wall in Keighley.

The driver was hurled from the car, and his three passengers had to be cut free following the accident in West Lane.

All four, who are said to be in their late teens or early 20s, were badly hurt in the accident early on Saturday. They are all from the Keighley area, and were taken to three different hospitals by a fleet of ambulances.

Commenting a few hours after the crash, a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said three of the casualties had broken bones, adding one of them also suffered chest and lung injuries.

The blue Lexus IS200 is said to have smashed at speed into a garden wall at 12.30am and bounced back into the road. The driver was hurled through the windscreen.

Resident Angela Reynoldson, 43, whose wall was hit, said the car was a mangled mess.

She added: “I was watching TV when I heard a massive bang. It sounded like an earthquake.

“The car had smashed into the corner of the wall and must then have bounced into the front of it and ended up on the other side of the road, with its engine steaming.

“I dialled 999 straight away. I could see the driver, who had been thrown through the wind-screen, lying in the road. He was conscious and talking to people.

“It took over an hour for the fire brigade to get the other three out of the car, and they were stretchered off. One seemed to be writhing in pain but didn’t look too badly hurt. The other two weren’t moving.”

Two casualties were taken to Leeds General Infirmary, one to Bradford Royal Infirmary and one to Airedale Hospital. Fire engines from Keighley, Bingley and Haworth attended the scene.

Keighley fire crew commander Fiona Hopper said a section of the road near the Reservoir Tavern pub was closed while the crews removed the top of the car to free the people inside.

“We were there for about an hour-and-a-half – it was quite an in-depth operation,” she added.

Police said all four men were in a stable condition at the time of going to print.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident, which happened at the junction with Back Sladen Street. The car was travelling up West Lane from the direction of Keighley at the time.

Any witnesses to the accident are asked to contact the Western Area Roads Policing Unit on 101.